Should I see the person who has died?

Many families are quite daunted at the thought of seeing their loved one after they have died. This is usually when a person has had no experience seeing someone who has died, let alone coping with the emotion of losing someone they love dearly.

The decision to see the person again after they have died is a deeply personal one and is built upon so many different things, including opinions and feelings. The questions arise such as: What will they look like? Will this last memory be the best one for me to have personally, or should I remember them as they are pictured in my mind? Will they look the same? Will they look okay? Should we let the children come? Most of these questions are based upon a lack of experience and often a lack of information supplied to you by the people who are helping you through this. There should be very clear communication from us as your funeral director to help you understand what seeing your loved one involves.

We believe the decision is yours and a very personal one. We believe it is often a very helpful experience for you as a family to see, touch, and spend time with the person you love. Although painful, this experience should not be any different to when they were alive; we believe strongly that this process brings a sense of normality, understanding, and healing to the journey of grief. The decision is best based on what you may or may not regret doing in the future. As hard as it is sometimes to go through the process, it may just help you to move on to new and positive things. Some people are content with the memories of the beautiful and good things they have shared with their loved one and it cannot be understated.